editorNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Yuki Noguchi is a correspondent on the Business Desk based out of NPR's headquarters in Washington D.C. Since joining NPR in 2008, she's covered business and economic news, and has a special interest in workplace issues — everything from abusive working environments, to the idiosyncratic cubicle culture. In recent years she has covered the housing market meltdown, unemployment during the Great Recession, and covered the aftermath of the tsunami in Japan in 2011. As in her personal life, however, her coverage interests are wide-ranging, and have included things like entomophagy and the St. Louis Cardinals.Prior to joining NPR, Yuki started her career as a reporter for The Washington Post. She reported on stories mostly about business and technology, and later became an editor.Yuki grew up with a younger brother speaking her parents' native Japanese at home. She has a degree in history from Yale.NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Yuki NoguchiTue, 22 Nov 2016 08:01:07 +0000Yuki Noguchihttp://wyso.org
Yuki NoguchiPresident-elect Donald Trump rode to electoral victory in part on discontent with Washington. He promised to "drain the swamp" — referring to the nation's capital. And No. 2 on his "Contract With The American Voter," listing activities for his first 100 days, is a hiring freeze on all civilian federal jobs that aren't involved in public safety or public health.A freeze is not unprecedented. Other administrations — Democrat and Republican — have used them. Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton used a host of measures to reduce the size of the federal workforce.But even those who support the idea of paring down the federal government's staffing say a freeze can have some unintended effects."If incoming President Donald Trump wants to reduce the size of the federal workforce, what he should really do is decide which programs he wants to cut or eliminate," says Cato Institute tax policy director Chris Edwards.Consider what the federal workforce consists of: The civilian federalTrump Wants A Federal Hiring Freeze, But It May Not Save Money http://wyso.org/post/trump-wants-federal-hiring-freeze-it-may-not-save-money
88701 as http://wyso.orgMon, 21 Nov 2016 22:31:00 +0000Trump Wants A Federal Hiring Freeze, But It May Not Save Money Yuki NoguchiThe Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up more than 1 percent Thursday at an all-time high of 18,807.88, as investors bet that the Donald Trump presidency will mean less regulation and more potential stimulus spending.Specific policies remain to be seen, but the president-elect pledged during the campaign to dismantle regulations, especially the Dodd-Frank financial law, which is now boosting financial stocks. Pharmaceutical stocks posted more gains Thursday, on the anticipation that the Trump administration is much less likely to scrutinize the drug industry than his rival Hillary Clinton.Trump heavily emphasized more infrastructure spending, pledging to offer tax credits to encourage private financing for investment. With an all-Republican Congress, political gridlock is also less likely, and the anticipation of stimulus pushed manufacturing and defense stocks up.On the other hand, the prospect of more government spending spurred a selloff in the bond markets. The yield on 10-yearDow Hits All-Time High As Investors Anticipate Transition To Trumphttp://wyso.org/post/dow-hits-all-time-high-investors-anticipate-transition-trump
88304 as http://wyso.orgThu, 10 Nov 2016 23:25:00 +0000Dow Hits All-Time High As Investors Anticipate Transition To TrumpYuki NoguchiCome next Tuesday, millions of people will stand in line to vote; last presidential cycle, about 57.5 percent of eligible voters cast ballots. Still, that means nearly half did not. Many people stay away from the polls because they run out of time, or have a work conflict — in which case lacking paid time off to vote might be a factor.Paid leave to vote is covered by a patchwork of laws around the country.Twenty-three states require employers to offer some form of paid leave to vote. Others, including Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin, allow for unpaid leave, the timing of which employers can set. Still others, including Florida, North Carolina and Virginia have no laws requiring companies to give workers time off to vote.Tuesdays are busy for Keyarra Forbes, a student at Central Connecticut State University near Hartford, who has both classes and a shift working at an optometrist's office — which complicates her Election Day."I actually tried to get the day off because I wanted toSeveral States, Some Employers Help Workers Make Time To Votehttp://wyso.org/post/several-states-employers-help-workers-make-time-vote
87881 as http://wyso.orgTue, 01 Nov 2016 09:09:00 +0000Several States, Some Employers Help Workers Make Time To VoteYuki NoguchiThere aren't many things the two major presidential candidates agree on, but here's one: Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump say they would spend more to rebuild the country's aging infrastructure.Clinton proposes spending $275 billion over five years, and setting up a national infrastructure bank to leverage some of the funds to induce more private funding for additional projects. Trump is proposing tax credits to encourage private investment of up to $1 trillion over a decade.Their plans are short on specifics, such as how they would fund the projects, though Clinton suggested it would come, in part, from raising taxes on wealthy individuals. Aside from funding, there is also a question about how to find the skilled labor to build all those roads and bridges — a labor pool that is already in short supply."Two-thirds of commercial construction firms in the country report they are having a hard time finding qualified workers to hire," says Brian Turmail, a spokesman for theAgreeing On More Money For Roads, Bridges May Be Easier Than Finding Workershttp://wyso.org/post/agreeing-more-money-roads-bridges-may-be-easier-finding-workers
87762 as http://wyso.orgFri, 28 Oct 2016 20:29:00 +0000Agreeing On More Money For Roads, Bridges May Be Easier Than Finding WorkersYuki NoguchiSounds, particularly those made by other humans, rank as the No. 1 distraction in the workplace. According to workplace design expert Alan Hedge at Cornell, 74 percent of workers say they face "many" instances of disturbances and distractions from noise."In general, if it's coming from another person, it's much more disturbing than when it's coming from a machine," he says, because, as social beings, humans are attuned to man-made sounds. He says overheard conversations, as well as high-pitched and intermittent noises, also draw attention away from tasks at hand.The popularity of open offices has exacerbated the problem. The University of California's Center for the Built Environment has a study showing workers are happier when they are in enclosed offices and less likely to take sick days.This does not bode well for some workers facing cold and flu season, when hacking coughs make the rounds. But some people, such as Milwaukee Web developer Taj Shahrani, contend with it year-round.HeWhat's More Distracting Than A Noisy Co-Worker? Turns Out, Not Muchhttp://wyso.org/post/whats-more-distracting-noisy-co-worker-turns-out-not-much
87647 as http://wyso.orgWed, 26 Oct 2016 09:06:00 +0000What's More Distracting Than A Noisy Co-Worker? Turns Out, Not MuchYuki NoguchiElizabeth Allen was at a happy hour for a San Francisco tech firm a couple of years ago, when a co-worker started forcing himself on her and the few other women at the party — again and again.He was "giving us lots of hugs," Allen says, "trying to kiss me a few times; he grabbed my butt a couple of times." The women were outnumbered by men, some of whom looked on, bemused, as the women tried to signal their distress.Allen adds: "Probably the worst thing about that incident was that there were many, many men there, including this guy's manager was there, and none of them did anything about it."What responsibilities do co-workers have as bystanders when they witness unwanted sexual behavior at work? The question has surfaced anew in the past week, as Donald Trump's taped comments about kissing and grabbing women — and the allegations now coming from accusers — have prompted discussion online and elsewhere.And it's a question that has relevance to Allen's own experiences in the workplace.Workplace Sexual Harassment: A Threat To Victims, A Quandary For Bystandershttp://wyso.org/post/workplace-sexual-harassment-threat-victims-quandary-bystanders
87241 as http://wyso.orgSat, 15 Oct 2016 11:57:00 +0000Workplace Sexual Harassment: A Threat To Victims, A Quandary For BystandersYuki NoguchiPrepaid cards are a growing segment of electronic payment that often function like debit or credit cards, but currently aren't regulated like them. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says it is changing that, requiring prepaid card providers to conduct some of the same credit checks and disclosures required of credit card providers."This rule closes loopholes and protects prepaid consumers," CFPB director Richard Cordray said today in a statement. "And it backs up those protections with important new disclosures to let consumers know before they owe."Among other things, the rules, which take effect Oct. 1 of next year, require issuers to assess a user's ability to repay before extending credit. It would limit a user's liability in instances of unauthorized use, to $50. And, as with credit cards, it requires monthly statements and limits on late fees and other penalties to "reasonable" amounts proportional to the violation.Part of the drive to regulate the business is its success.New Rules On Prepaid Electronic Payment Cardshttp://wyso.org/post/new-rules-prepaid-electronic-payment-cards
86924 as http://wyso.orgWed, 05 Oct 2016 21:43:00 +0000New Rules On Prepaid Electronic Payment CardsYuki NoguchiIn its latest forecast, the International Monetary Fund says it sees global growth essentially moving sideways this year, with flat to slower growth in richer countries offsetting higher growth rates in emerging economies such as India.The report comes ahead of the semiannual IMF and World Bank meeting set to kick off at the end of the week in Washington, D.C., where officials will discuss how economic policy might juice up their respective economies.The IMF cut its economic outlook for the U.S. to 1.6 percent growth this year, down from 2.2 percent, citing weak business investment and lower demand for goods. It also cautioned the Federal Reserve to hold off raising benchmark interest rates until it sees "clear signs that wages and prices are firming durably."The forecast for overall global growth stayed at 3.1 percent for the year.Advanced economies are expected to grow 1.8 percent next year, compared with 1.6 percent this year. Among other details in the report:Brexit is likely toInternational Monetary Fund Lowers Its Outlook For U.S. Economic Growthhttp://wyso.org/post/international-monetary-fund-lowers-its-outlook-us-economic-growth
86867 as http://wyso.orgTue, 04 Oct 2016 18:20:00 +0000International Monetary Fund Lowers Its Outlook For U.S. Economic GrowthYuki NoguchiIt's once again time for the annual ritual of fear and loathing, also known as the performance review — at least for the companies that still do them.Many have abandoned the old way of evaluating their employees in recent years. Last year, even General Electric — whose former CEO Jack Welch championed the system often known as "rank and yank" — did away with its annual review.What's taking the old system's place? A hodgepodge of experiments, essentially.According to CEB, a corporate research and advisory firm, only 4 percent of HR managers think their system of assessing employees is effective at measuring performance — and 83 percent say their systems need an overhaul.It's no wonder, since the way we work has changed so much, says Brian Kropp, who heads CEB's human resources practice. "A lot of our performance management systems don't do a really good job of capturing ideas or insights," he says. "They capture hours or things that come off an assembly line, and the world just doesn'tYay, It's Time For My Performance Review! (Said No One Ever)http://wyso.org/post/yay-its-time-my-performance-review-said-no-one-ever
86653 as http://wyso.orgWed, 28 Sep 2016 21:45:00 +0000Yay, It's Time For My Performance Review! (Said No One Ever)Yuki NoguchiFormer Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson's $20 million settlement with Fox News was unusual in some ways; she received an apology from the network and her complaint resulted in the ouster of former Fox News CEO Roger Ailes.Her high-profile case is just one of an increasing number of retaliation claims. Retaliation cases now exceed claims of race discrimination, making up about 45 percent of complaints filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.And there are those, like Lorraine Segal, whose cases never result in a filing. Segal gave up her tenured professorship at a community college teaching English after years of targeting by other faculty members."I was different, I was the only Jewish lesbian," she says. "I was extremely competent and good at what I did. And I stood up for other people who were targets as well."Segal, who lives in Santa Rosa, Calif., says her vocal objections made her unpopular. She says her fellow faculty and administrators kept information from her,Advice For Dealing With Workplace Retaliation: Save Those Nasty Emailshttp://wyso.org/post/advice-dealing-workplace-retaliation-save-those-nasty-emails
86145 as http://wyso.orgWed, 14 Sep 2016 09:08:00 +0000Advice For Dealing With Workplace Retaliation: Save Those Nasty EmailsYuki NoguchiAt 4.9 percent, the nation's unemployment rate is half of what it was at the height of the Great Recession. But that number hides a big problem: Millions of men in their prime working years have dropped out of the workforce — meaning they aren't working or even looking for a job.It's a trend that's held true for decades and has economists puzzled.In the 1960s, nearly 100 percent of men between the ages of 25 and 54 worked. That's fallen over the decades.In a recent report, President Obama's Council of Economic Advisers said 83 percent of men in the prime working ages of 25-54 who were not in the labor force had not worked in the previous year. So, essentially, 10 million men are missing from the workforce."One in six prime-age guys has no job; it's kind of worse than it was in the depression in 1940," says Nicholas Eberstadt, an economic and demographic researcher at American Enterprise Institute who wrote the book Men Without Work: America's Invisible Crisis. He says these men aren'tAn Economic Mystery: Why Are Men Leaving The Workforce?http://wyso.org/post/economic-mystery-why-are-men-leaving-workforce
85893 as http://wyso.orgTue, 06 Sep 2016 21:58:00 +0000An Economic Mystery: Why Are Men Leaving The Workforce?Yuki NoguchiThe idea of black capitalism goes back many decades. Civil rights activists Booker T. Washington and Marcus Garvey advocated African-Americans creating and doing business with their own to build wealth in their community.This summer, the killings of black men and the Black Lives Matter movement rekindled campaigns to #BuyBlack and #BankBlack — but it's a call some supporters find difficult to heed.Two years ago, Camille H decided to buy all her holiday gifts exclusively from black-owned shops. That proved easy, but it seemed insufficient. "I needed to do something a little bit more. I needed to do something more long-term," she says.She decided to carry her financial activism forward. She bought produce from black farmers markets, but quickly found that trying to buy daily essentials exclusively from black-owned stores challenging. "Stuff like bread, and cheese, and boxed goods — all of the things that you would normally see in the aisles in the grocery store and not just the produceFor Some African-Americans, Efforts To #BuyBlack Present Challengeshttp://wyso.org/post/some-african-americans-efforts-buyblack-present-challenges
85630 as http://wyso.orgTue, 30 Aug 2016 20:31:00 +0000For Some African-Americans, Efforts To #BuyBlack Present ChallengesYuki NoguchiScandal? Juda Engelmayer's seen his share of corporate scandals: "Failures, lawsuits, arrest, financial breakdowns, tainted food."All things he's handled as head of crisis communications for 5W Public Relations. It's no fun, he says, dethroning a titan over a big mistake."Trying to counsel a client who's done something wrong and trying to convince them that, A. they've done something wrong, and B. to come out and say it to the public that's loved them and adored them for a long time — not easy to do," he says.When it comes to crafting a resignation letter, Engelmayer says the axed executive often can't say much. There are shareholders and potential lawsuits to consider.When Fox News head Roger Ailes resigned amid allegations of sexual harassment last month, he talked of promoting female talent during his tenure at the news network.When Debbie Wasserman Schultz resigned as chair of the Democratic National Committee, there was no mention of the leaked staff emails backing Hillary ClintonHow To Write A Resignation Letter In The Middle Of A Scandalhttp://wyso.org/post/how-write-resignation-letter-middle-scandal
85201 as http://wyso.orgFri, 19 Aug 2016 21:15:00 +0000How To Write A Resignation Letter In The Middle Of A ScandalYuki NoguchiCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.July Jobs Report Reflects Strong Numbers, Defying Expectationshttp://wyso.org/post/july-jobs-report-reflects-strong-numbers-defying-expectations
84656 as http://wyso.orgFri, 05 Aug 2016 17:57:00 +0000July Jobs Report Reflects Strong Numbers, Defying ExpectationsYuki NoguchiCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit INSKEEP, HOST: Later this morning, the Labor Department releases its monthly jobs report. Now, market analysts believe that about 180,000 jobs were added to payrolls in July. The payroll number is closely watched by Wall Street and the Federal Reserve. But as NPR's Yuki Noguchi reports, economists are not so sure how much it means. YUKI NOGUCHI, BYLINE: Alan Blinder, a professor at Princeton and a former Fed vice chairman, says there's something most Americans don't know about the labor market. ALAN BLINDER: Every single month, 5 million jobs get destroyed - either people quitting or getting fired. And a little more than 5 million get created. NOGUCHI: So when job numbers fluctuate by 100,000, in the scheme of things, that's not much. Blinder says the numbers are more meaningful when you look at them over the long run - a yearly average, for example. The monthly numbers garner a lot of attention anyway because they're the best data available toMonthly Jobs Reports Are Watched Closely, But How Meaningful Are They?http://wyso.org/post/monthly-jobs-reports-are-watched-closely-how-meaningful-are-they
84641 as http://wyso.orgFri, 05 Aug 2016 09:59:00 +0000Monthly Jobs Reports Are Watched Closely, But How Meaningful Are They?Yuki NoguchiTrevor Burbank is single, 27 years old, and has been house hunting in Nashville for the last year."My rent's going up in August, so I have to figure out what I'm doing," he says.The last time Burbank looked for a place was five years ago. He decided to use his down payment to start a business instead."There was a house that I really liked that was going for $60,000, and I saw the house being sold in the past few months for just shy of $300,000," Burbank says.There's a big debate in real estate over where home ownership rates are headed, and whether Millennials — people who came of age around 2000 — will get into the housing market the way generations before them did.The percentage of people younger than age 35 who are homeowners went from 42 percent a decade ago to just a little more than a third now.Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, says young people are squeezed from both sides. Rents are increasing even faster than home prices.And, he says, cityFewer Young People Buying Houses, But Why?http://wyso.org/post/fewer-young-people-buying-houses-why
84236 as http://wyso.orgTue, 26 Jul 2016 21:54:00 +0000Fewer Young People Buying Houses, But Why?Yuki NoguchiCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Racial Tensions Strain Relations In The Workplacehttp://wyso.org/post/racial-tensions-strain-relations-workplace
83849 as http://wyso.orgMon, 18 Jul 2016 20:37:00 +0000Racial Tensions Strain Relations In The WorkplaceYuki NoguchiMore than 4 in 10 working Americans say their job affects their overall health, with stress being cited most often as having a negative impact.That's according to a new survey about the workplace and health from NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.While it may not sound so surprising that work affects health, when we looked more closely, we found one group was particularly affected by stress on the job: the disabled.More than 60 percent of people with a disability in our poll say their job has a bad impact on their stress level.Jason Olsen says he's not surprised by the poll's findings. As I meet him at his home in Gaithersburg, Md., we start trading commuter complaints. Traffic was terrible getting here, I say.But his story wins out."The other day I had to wait 45 minutes to finally get a train where I could get myself and the wheelchair onto the train," he says. Navigating Washington's Metro system is always a challenge, he saysWorkplaces Can Be Particularly Stressful For Disabled Americans, Poll Findshttp://wyso.org/post/workplaces-can-be-particularly-stressful-disabled-americans-poll-finds
83577 as http://wyso.orgWed, 13 Jul 2016 09:07:00 +0000Workplaces Can Be Particularly Stressful For Disabled Americans, Poll FindsYuki NoguchiCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.U.S. Economy Adds 287,000 Jobs In Junehttp://wyso.org/post/us-economy-adds-287000-jobs-june
83426 as http://wyso.orgFri, 08 Jul 2016 20:36:00 +0000U.S. Economy Adds 287,000 Jobs In JuneYuki NoguchiCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.U.S. Hiring Bounces Back In June After Dismal Mayhttp://wyso.org/post/us-hiring-bounces-back-june-after-dismal-may
83409 as http://wyso.orgFri, 08 Jul 2016 15:59:00 +0000U.S. Hiring Bounces Back In June After Dismal May